Rikki-Tikki-Tavi's Origin, Chapter four
Chapter four of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi's Origin. Plot As Rikki and Nagaina were duking it out underground, the grass by the mouth of the hole stopped waving, and Darzee said “it is all over with Rikki-tikki! we must sing his death song, valiant Rikki-tikki is dead! for Nagaina will surely kill him underground”, so he sang a very mournful song that he made up on the spur of the minute, but just as he got to the most touching part, the grass quivered again, and Rikki-tikki, covered with dirt, dragged himself out of the hole leg by leg, licking his whiskers, Darzee stopped with a little shout, Rikki-tikki shook some of the dust out of his fur and sneezed, “it is all over: the widow will never come out again” he notifies triumphantly, and the red ants that live between the grass stems heard him, and began to troop down one after another to see if he had spoken the truth, Rikki-tikki then curled himself up in the grass and slept where he was, slept and slept till it was late in the afternoon, for he had done a hard day’s work, "now, I will go back to the house, tell the Coppersmith Darzee, and he will tell everyone that Nagaina is dead” he requested the second he awoke, the Coppersmith got his name because his species makes a noise exactly like the beating of a little hammer on a copper pot; and the reason he is always making it is because he is the town crier to every Indian garden, and tells all the news to everybody who cares to listen, and as Rikki-tikki went up the path, he heard his “attention” notes like a tiny dinner gong, and then the steady “Ding-dong-tock! Nag is dead — dong! Nagaina is dead! Ding-dong-tock!” by Darzee, that set all the creatures in the village cheering, especially the frogs, for Nag and Nagaina used to eat frogs as well as little birds, and when Rikki got to the house, Teddy Jumeirah Rahhar Meshua (she looked very white still, for she had been fainting) and Sanjay came out and almost cried over him; and that night he ate all that was given him till he could eat no more, and went to bed on Teddy’s shoulder, where Meshua saw him when she came to look late at night, "he saved all our lives, just think, he saved the whole village” she notes, but wasn't quiet enough for Rikki-tikki woke up with a jump, for the mongooses are light sleepers, "oh it’s you, what are you bothering for? all the cobras are dead, and if they weren’t, I’m here” he reminds even though he knew she wouldn't hear his words literally. The next day, Teddy had to pack up for he and his parents were heading home to Khanhiwara, but not before two older mongooses suddenly show up in the village, and the Coppersmith was looking for Rikki because of it. "Hey Rikki, I think you're parents are here" he alerts while Rikki was bidding farewell to Teddy, but perked up at this news, "say what?" he gasps, but it was true: heading his way were two mongooses he recognized, "mom, dad!" he cries, "Rikki!" the two older mongooses cry back and they reunite, "oh my little one, when that storm bombarded and swept you out we thought we'd never see you again" Rikki's mother cried as the humans looked on, "I think I would have, had it not been for these humans" Rikki remarks and gestures to the humans, "well, now lets..." Rikki's father started when he saw Rikki look reluctant to leave the humans, "Rikki you're not actually thinking of staying with them are you?" his mother asks, "I can't just leave them: they saved my life, and I returned the favor" Rikki informs, "what do you mean by that?" Rikki's dad wonders, "well not long after I was picked up by them..." Rikki began and told everything about the renegade cobra-couple he single-handedly vanquished, much to his parents' amazement: normally the parent mongooses had to teach the young first hand, but the fact that their son figured it out all on his own was quite an achievement, and they couldn't be more proud, "wow, I guess you don't need us anymore" Rikki's father suspects, a bit saddened, "I have to stay with the humans, mom you did say it was every mongoose's dream to become a human's bodyguard, and you were a pet too remember?" Rikki reminds, "that is true: we just found you, and you're already moving out of home" Rikki mother sobbed: she understood her son's devotion to his human-saviors: her little boy was all grown up, Jumeirah quietly approached and Rikki emphasized his decision by climbing onto her left-shoulder which made her chuckle, the two parents knew their son had finally found a place among humans, and though they knew humans couldn't hear animals talk in real words, Jumeirah seemed to develop a connection to them when they look at her with a look on their faces, which no doubt said "take care of our child", Teddy gave one last hug to Rikki before leaving, "I'll never forget you Rikki, take care of my cousin for me" he requests and Rikki would make sure of that, then handed Rikki back to Jumeirah and left with his parents, Rikki's parents later did the same: they headed out the gateway that lead into the jungle, and cast one last look at their son before officially returning to their home. Rikki-tikki had a right to be proud of himself, but he did not grow too proud, and he kept his new human-family safe as a mongoose should, with tooth and jump and spring and bite, till never a cobra, or any other deadly snake, dared show its head inside the village. Stay tuned for Rikki-Tikki-Tavi's Origin, Chapter five Notes *The story Rikki-Tikki-Tavi said that Rikki was living with his parents in a burrow when the rain washed him out, but his parents never appear, although Rikki's mother was said to have been a pet mongoose herself. *The Coppersmith is a mentioned-only character, but is identified as male. I decided to have him appear officially. Also he is said to be a coppersmith barbet (a bird) by species, hence his name. Gallery Category:Fanfiction